A stellar career that's far from over

After a stellar career spanning 31 years with the Panama Canal Authority and during its transition from US to Panamanian control, Capt Orlando Allard saw life on the waterway as a towboat master, pilot and later as a senior administrator. Here, Capt Allard reflects on a career that’s far from over.

Capt Allard has also been Panama’s representative at the IMO in London and at the very heart of more than one of its Conventions, co-founded an International Maritime University, been dean of Panama’s oldest university and the general go-to person when decisions needed taking and jobs needed to be done.

But rather than sitting back and enjoying life, Capt Allard is a busy as ever receiving awards that reflect his lifetime of achievement, sitting on key boards and imparting his extensive knowledge and expertise to a new generation in the maritime sector.

Q. Where were you born and where did you grow up?

A. I was born in the Province of Chiriquí, Republic of Panama. I grew up in Chiriquí and in Panama City and then in the US.

Q.  What was your life like growing up?

A. I grew up in the middle of a large-extended family and was very much loved. They had high hopes for my future since I was the first grandson of the family on my father's side. Growing up I dreamed of traveling all over the world. I was very much into learning about the great cities of the world.

Q. How about your education? Where did you go to school and then to university? In which subject(s) did you graduate?

A. I graduated from a public high school in Chiriquí. I then graduated from the University of Panama with a major in Teaching of English as a Second Language. Once I graduated in Panama, I attended the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and obtained an engineering degree in maritime transportation – and a third officer´s license.

Q. What originally attracted you to the maritime sector? Was this something you were always interested in when you were growing up?

A. What attracted me the most in a maritime career was the possibility of traveling all over the world, visiting the great cities of the world and getting to know people from other cultures. As a ship’s officer and later on as a pilot in the Panama Canal I had the opportunity to travel and fulfil my dream of traveling all over the world.

Q. What was your first job upon leaving education?

A. Towboat Master in the Panama Canal.

Q. When did you join the Panama Canal Authority, an organization for whom you later worked for 31 years.?

A. I was hired as a towboat master by the Panama Canal Company in 1978. Later on, I was promoted to the pilot training program where I reached the senior level. I was in charge of the maritime training programs for the Canal Authority. I retired in 2008.

Q.  What do you remember most of your time at the Canal Authority, first as a towboat master and then as a pilot?

A. The great satisfaction of being involved in the training of maritime personnel, particularly towboat masters and pilots – new Panamanian young professionals who joined the Panama Canal, which helped us achieve a 100% Panamanian work force in the maritime areas. We were able to implement simulator training for pilots – the first in the world. The marine simulator technology was very much influenced by the Panama Canal and our experience in using simulation as a valuable tool for training officers, towboat masters and pilots. Another highlight of my career at the Canal was being in charge of designing the technical training program for the thousands of people who would work there. To do this, however, it was necessary to get as involved as possible in the planning stages of the engineering project itself since we needed to know the different trades and the number of people in each category. Training programs had to be designed and find places where participants could get involved in practical training.

Q. You spent three years in London as Ambassador, Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) during 2000-2003. What do you recall of your three years based in the UK and working with the IMO?

A. Living in London was one of my dreams – and, of course, representing Panama at IMO was a most rewarding experience. I was there during the security crisis that followed the Twin Towers attacks in New York City and the development of the maritime and port security code that was developed at IMO. I was very much involved in at least two other international conventions that had a large impact on shipping and Ballast Water and the TBT Convention are a few examples.

Q. On your return to Panama, you then co-founded the International Maritime University and was appointed as its first Rector (2006-8). This must have been a major challenge. How difficult was it to get such an institution off the ground?

A. I had a lot of help from the local maritime community – and a great push from my Alma Mater, the Massachusetts Maritime Academy – and the other maritime academies in the United States. They all pitched in providing maritime experience aboard their training ships. The Panama Canal Authority also helped a great deal – as well as the Canal pilots and maritime personnel in general. The Government of Panama, through the vice president, a maritime lawyer himself, helped us sailing through the administrative nightmares in the public sector.

Q. You are also president of the Private Sector Council for Educational Assistance (COSPAE)? Explain your role for this organization.

A. COSPAE is a not-for-profit organization – with representatives from 34 business associations – dedicated to respond to training needs of employees and young men and women still in school, through training programs and scholarships. For many years, providing training in English as a second language was a top priority for COSPAE.

Q. When were you appointed dean of Panama’s oldest such institution, the Universidad Católica Santa Maria la Antigua? What did you achieve during your period in charge of the university?

A. I was invited to join the USMA as the Dean of the Engineering and Technology Faculty back in 2016. One of the major goals of the University was to develop maritime, port and logistics training programs at the graduate and post-graduate levels. We are now offering careers in port and logistics executive programs. On the subject of training, one of the major problems we have experienced in Panama has to do with availability of people to work in the logistics industry. In a study I conducted for the Interamerican Development Bank (IDB) in 2014, we determined that most companies offering logistics services in Panama had problems finding people with basic technical competencies and, most importantly, soft competencies and values. I also conducted another study to determine training needs in the port and logistics industries in the Latin American and Caribbean regions. This project put me in contact with ports and logistics services providers all over the Caribbean and the region – only to find out that what was true four years earlier was still true today, in terms of availability of people, especially young people with the correct soft competencies and values – and a large dose of innovation, creativity and enthusiasm. As a member of the Board of Directors of the Maritime Chamber I´ve had the opportunity to travel to several countries in the Caribbean and have found that more training opportunities are necessary – not necessarily at the post-graduate level, but at the technical and trade levels. Of course, a great attitude towards the job matters the most!

Q. You also organize the Panama Maritime Conference & Exhibition XIV. Are you pleased with the success of this project?

A. This was the fifth conference that I worked on, first as part of the organising committee in charge of the academic program and then president of the conference for three years. This is a bi-annual international conference and it requires intensive work on attracting experts and delegates from all over the world. The conference also includes an exhibition that attracts at least 100 companies that show their products and services. The experience, even though it is extremely stressful and time consuming, it is very rewarding when you see the high level of speakers and delegates from all corners of the world participating, especially the Secretary General of the IMO.

Q. How honored were you in August this year to receive the medal of the Panama Canal Expansion Program?

A. Quite honored – especially because it was a surprise! All Panama Canal vice-presidents and managers – friends and co-workers of mine for many years were invited – as well as the entire Board of Directors of COSPAE. My mother was also invited and honored with a precious gift from the Canal tea-cup collection. It was such a moving event and the Administrator was at his best speaking about my career at the Canal – and the times we worked on projects together. Unforgettable!

Q. Finally, can I ask you something about your personal life? And of your main interests outside of work in terms of sports and leisure activities?

A. My family is my top priority and I try to balance life with them and work. My friends are also a great source of strength and inspiration. I ride a bike around the neighbourhood, which allows me to wonder and think about projects I am working on. I am on the Board of Directors of the Maritime Authority of Panama, the technical training institution INADEH and the ITSE, another technical training institute – and a member of several business associations – so I have plenty of social activities associated with the work in these institutions.

Capt Allard: Career highlights

• Panama Canal Authority: 1978-2008
• IMO: Panama’s Ambassador, Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) 2000-2003
• Co-founder and first rector: International Maritime University, Panama
• Dean of the Engineering & Technology Faculty of the Universidad Católica Santa Maria la Antigua (USMA), Panama
• Organiser of the bi-annual Panama Maritime Conference
• A director of the Private Sector Council for Educational Assistance (COSPAE), Panama
• Awarded the medal of the Panama Canal Expansion Program